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DNR staff report finds remotely sensed inventory delivers similar overstory metrics at far lower cost than statewide traditional inventory
Summary
DNR staff told the board that the agency's remotely sensed inventory (RSFRS) matches stand‑based measures for many overstory attributes, performs less well on understory and decadence metrics, and costs roughly $3.6 million to implement statewide versus an estimated $57 million for a full traditional inventory.
DNR staff presented a technical comparison of two forest‑inventory systems and recommended continuing investment in their remotely sensed inventory.
Jeff Rickliff, Forest Inventory Lead, described the RSFRS system's methodology (6,000 plots installed to date, a gridded panel design, use of DAP photogrammetry and lidar inputs) and the agency's validation efforts. Rickliff said the remotely sensed models show "very high correlation coefficients" for key overstory attributes such as merchantable volume and height, but acknowledged weaker model performance measuring decadence features and understory attributes. He explained sampling‑error drivers, differences in plot designs between RSFRS and the stand‑based SFIS, and noted that SFIS undersamples understory features in some configurations.
Rickliff summarized cost tradeoffs: implementing a statewide traditional, stand‑based inventory would cost "over $57,000,000," while a statewide remotely sensed inventory was estimated at approximately $3,600,000 (with a ~3‑year refresh cycle). He urged continued investment in remote sensing while recognizing some attributes will still require field effort. Board members asked about plot density, operable land‑base assumptions used in the sustainable harvest calculation, and opportunities for public and technical feedback; staff agreed to share written reports and datasets for review.
